The Paperwing Maker
by awkwardlystef
Summary: The creation of the Paperwing. My own thoughts as I read Sabriel.


The cold nipped at her body as ice began to form along the skin from tips of her finger up to her exposed face. The slowly sloshing water she stood in pooled around her ankles and despite the sturdy boots encasing her feet the bitter cold of the realm still claimed them. Dark eyes danced from side to side as she observed the realm. From the first precinct the sound of waterfall of the first gate up ahead splashed in her ears echoing through the silence. She moved forward towards the falls; the bells on the bandolier across her chest clinked quietly with her movement. Her hand rested comfortably on her sword as she felt the spirits around her. One in particular revealed more power than the other, too much power for it to be residing on this side of the gate; her target she rationalized. Her theory proved true when a human like mass let out an inhuman roar and moved closer its arms flailing as if in attack. With a flash, the biting steel embedded itself into the chest of the creature. Its flame-filled eyes burned in anger as it howled in pain. Quickly she removed her charter spelled sword from its chest and lifted her left hand which gripped musical sleep; Ranna. With precise movements, she played the bell, watching the mass fall prey to its tune. As it collapsed, the slow-moving current of the river sucked the dead creature past the gate and further down the river, hopefully closer where it belonged. Replacing both sword and bell, she moved backwards into life once more. Her task of halting the monster's advance into the world of living complete, she watched the frost encasing her melt away as it made contact with the warmth of the sky's candle. As she the sun welcomed her back into the living world she could still feel the cold river circling her feet, and the frost consuming her nose.

The Charter spelled diamond of protection around her body slowly faded away its use no longer needed. Her dark eyes turned towards the small village behind her that had been plagued by the dead for days thanks to a mad necromancer. She had gotten rid of the man as well as his puppets, and ventured into death to send back any other minions attempting to break their way into the world. Her bells jiggled as she walked into the village. Praise was shouted for The Abhorsen and her deeds as villagers cheered upon her arrival though she could still make out the look of slight fear in their eyes directed towards her and her power. She wished she could partake in such events and allow her duties to fall aside for some time to enjoy life, but being The Abhorsen meant a certain life she could not reject. As she prepared to travel home to the house beside the waterfall her attention was caught by a group of children rushing behind her. Folds of colorful papers in their hands as they ran quickly and with a jerk of their arms tossed the items into the air. She watched as the folds of paper hovered for a moment forward some spiraling and dipping quickly to the earth and crashing the points crumpling. Finally as the last one fell she heard the groans of the children as they expressed wanting to see their creations cover more distance, The Abhorsen smiled. Puckering her lips, she let a whistle soar from her its sound, like that of the wind between the wings of a bird. Awakening the wind as it swooped down and lifted the little creations into the air there were many advantages of being a powerful weather witch. She left the small village with a sudden want to travel the skies for just a moment and escape from both the earth and dead.

"You're alive I see, such a shame though I suppose that means you did your job" A voice greeted as Abhorsen entered her home. Dark eyes found a white cat who was carefully washing his paws with a pink tongue on top of a wooden table. "Mogget" she greeted as she ruffled the creatures fur up leaving him frustrated that hours of grooming and cleaning had been ruined. She waved away the sendings that came to help her remove her armor and various other objects, she strangely felt more comfortable in it than without it. She made her way to the observatory and glanced through the telescope at the blue sky, "next time you decide to leave, do make sure you make it back quickly I loathe eating in the kitchen and your servants are too dull to realize it's possible for me to eat at a table without you" Mogget complained as he entered the room. She grinned at the white cat as she moved to the desk, unrolling a blank sheet of parchment a writing instrument in her hand as she quickly began to sketch. "I feel as if you are not taking me seriously and that is most frustrating. What are you doing?" Mogget whined, as he leapt to the desk and pushed his furry face close to the paper. He watched as The Abhorsen with quick strokes made out a shape adorned with powerful looking wings and what was perhaps a tail, though it seemed far too wedge like for his taste. He sat silent for a few minutes attempting to comprehend what had gotten into the daft woman's mind, she was smiling ever so slightly as hairs began to unravel and fall from her long black braid into her face. Usually composed, silent, and serious he had begun to wonder if perhaps she had fallen and hit her head to cause such strange behavior. The cat annoyed with being ignored carefully and quickly moved. Gripping her pen between his teeth, he pulling it from her hand the sudden movement surprised the woman as she jerked a bit and sloshed ink onto the corner of her parchment, "MOGGET" she cried out. The cat tossed the pen to the ground and licked his paw as if nothing had happened; the Abhorsen pushed strands of stray hair behind her ears and glanced at her drawings. Despite Mogget's intervention she had finished her drawing, she looked at the white cat and grinned largely showing him the product, and "I'm going to fly" she told him before racing out from behind the desk and out of the observatory. "Is this some form of suicide" Mogget yelled after her.

She feared at times her dream would never be complete, she knew her role as the Abhorsen truly dictated her life and that nothing else mattered but keeping the kingdom safe and the dead from rising. Though she traded her free moments to work on her creation, enchanting the craft with charter marks she kept to true to her inspiration as she constructed it with sheets of paper though it's design resembled a bird. It reflected her hopes to fly much like the winged creatures could so freely, and finally after two years she was able to do so. She sat within the cockpit of the blue and silver vehicle peering out at the golden yellow bird like eyes she had add as a finally touch, she ran her hands over her creation amazed at it. "It's going to crash" Mogget told her from outside the vehicle, "Nonsense it's perfect…my Paperwing" she told him, "If you die we don't have another trained Abhorsen have you realized this"? "Mogget, you are so negative" she told him, "I don't want to eat in the kitchen forever because of your antics" he scowled. She rolled her eyes and watched as the sending's arrived on the platform to help pack her items into the Paperwing for its first trip. She closed her eyes for a moment as she called forth the knowledge needed to send the item into flight, she felt something brush her arm a furry something and as she opened them she looked to see Mogget settling himself in. "What about us crashing" she questioned him, he simply shrugged. She looked forward and whistled a tune, the exact one that had sent the children's own Paperwing flying years before. Her tune began to ring clear and loud as she felt her creation stir to life in eagerness of its first flight, a passion shared by its creator. Behind her Mogget complained of the death they surely face, but was drowned out as the Paperwing sprang forward into the sky and soared along to the Abhorsen's tune. She cried out happily and laughed as the warm sun reflected the silver of the craft brightly making it look like a shining gem in the sky, it was a moment she would always recall; the initial flight and warmth of the sun such a heavy contrast to the river of death that ruled her life. It was no doubt that she was as equally matched in being a weather witch as to being The Abhorsen. It took them but a single afternoon to reach the sea and glide above the waves with the gulls and that include stopping at the oceans sandy beach to enjoy their escape just a bit longer. The Abhorsen stood in the warm water her boots forgotten on the sand as Mogget chased around small crabs finding pleasure in their torment.

"Don't think I'll ever get back on that thing, it's death trap" Mogget warned as they returned to the Stronghold and leapt out from the cockpit to the platform and entered the home. The Abhorsen smiled she knew the cat had enjoyed his journey as much as she had she ran her hands along her craft before disembarking, looking at her beautiful creation. "I'm hungry", the cat-like voice cried from inside; she spun on her heels and entered the home to find Mogget waiting eagerly on the dining room table.


End file.
